Automatic feeder



May 8, 1923- I 1,454,352 N. F. THOMPSON AUTOMATI C FEEDER Filed May 6, 1922 Patented May 8, 1923.

NELS F. THOMIE SON, 0F FORT DODGE, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC FEEDER.

Application filed May 6,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Nuns F. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Automatic Feeder, of which the follow ing is a specification.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for an automatic feeder.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements, hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the claim and illustrated by the accompanylng drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the 1mproved device, one corner being broken open to reveal interior construction. Figure 2 is an end elevation and Figure 3 a cross-section on the indicated line 33 of Figure 1.

In the construction of the device as shown the numerals 10 designate skids, in this instance three in number, arranged parallel with each other and spaced apart. Sills 11, in this instance two in number, are mounted on and extend transversely of the skids and are spaced apart; the respective sills also being spaced from the adjacent end portions of the skids. A housing is constructed on and supported by the sills and is composed of a bottom 12, side walls 13, '14, end walls 15, 16 and roof members 17, 18. An A-shaped deflect-or 19 is mounted on and extends longitudinally of the central portion of the bottom 12, preferably from one end wall to the other. Transverse partitions 20 are mounted on the bottom 12 and extend from the deflector, in spaced relation, to the lower portions-13, 14' of the side walls, said lower portions being of greater height than the partitions and inwardly beveled on their upper margins, A series of feeding troughs are thus formed on opposite sides of the deflector. Baflies 21, 22 are mounted on and extend 'inwardl and downwardly from the inner faces 0 the side walls 13, 14, in convergin planes, and the lower margins of said ba es overlap and are spaced from the a ex of the deflector 19. The roof members 1 18 are hinged together at. the apex of the structure and may be swung upwardly independently to provide access 1922. Serial No. 559,107.

to the hopper therein. Doors 23, 24 are mounted in horizontal spaces between the upper and lower portions of the side walls 13, 14, extend from end to end of thestructure and are hinged to said upper portions. The doors 23, 24 are adapted to close the horizontal spaces in the side walls and the lower margins of said doors are beveled to match the beveling on the lower portions of said walls as shown in Figure 3. The doors are adapted to swing inwardly toward and may contact with and be stopped by the baffles, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3. Brackets 25, 26 are fixed to the outer faces of the upper portions of the doors 23,

24 and retractile coil springs 27, 28 con-.

nect outer ends of said brackets to the upper marginal portions of the side walls 13, 14

and exert pulling force tending to hold the,

doors in closed positions. Platforms 29, 30 are arranged across the outer end portions of the skids 10 and are hinged thereto at their outer margins, the inner margins of said platforms being spaced slightly from the adjacent sides of the structure. Hangers 31, 32 are flexibly connected at their lower ends to end portions of the platforms and adjacent to the inner margins thereof, and the upper end portions of said hangers are hooked into the brackets 25, 26 between the lower ends of the springs 27, 28 and the adjacent sides of the structure.

In practical use the parts are assembled as shown,wthehopper being supplied with feed which flows into the troughs beneath the baffles. Animals, such as hogs, may approach the troughs, singly or in groups, mount either of the platforms and in. so

doing depress the platform and open the I adjacent door through the medium of the hangers and bracket; thereby gaining access to the feed in the adjacent troughs. On departing, the last animal to leave releases the platform, which permits the springs to close the door and raise the. platform. Either side of the structure may be entered selectively. I

I claim as my invention-'- An automatic feeder comprising a. trough, a housing surmounting said trough, a door hinged on a horizontal axis in one wall of said housing and adapted to open inwardly,

i, 1 ll said trough and door being formed with overlapping beveled margins whereby n1ovement of the door in one direction is limited, brackets mounted on the door adjacent the 5 hinged margin thereof, springs connecting said brackets and housing, a hinged platform at one side of said housing, hangers flexibly connected to said platform at one end and hooks formed on said hangers and engaging said brackets at the opposite end. Signed at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, this 1st do of A ril, 1922.

N. F. THOMPSOH, 

